France's Anoraak reworks tracks into new wave synth masterpieces. Although a bit slow for some, this is an emerging style of music that takes the production elements of Lifelike remixes and blends them with the spacey, retro sound heralded by the incredible Valerie blog. Anoraak remixes are poster children for this type of sound.

England's Mylo has an inventive approach to remixing songs, turning pop songs into something more danceable by playing with bass lines and adding a little something to make sure it has a consistent beat (usually).

America's (I KNOW, I WAS SURPRISED, TOO) Thin White Duke (also known as Stuart Price, Jacques Lu Cont, Pour Homme, Man With Guitar, Les Rythmes Digitales, and a member of Zoot Woman and Paper Faces!) really knows how to work his magic when it comes to remixes. Often extending the original track to 7 or 8 minutes, Price changes a track into something much more engrossing, often adding a darker, epic feeling.

Although I'm not a fan of his original productions, I really enjoy remixes done by Serge Santiágo. Oddly, his work on the remix of "I Like 2 Funk" is amazingly different from his other remixes - it's funky and groovy, whilst his other remixes are typically a bit more linear and deeper. I highly recommend "I Like 2 Funk," with its insatiable, choppy bass and tinge of disco-era instruments.

Okay, these next two remixes are shamelessly disco house - because that's a genre both you and I adore, right? Ian Carey, an American (SERIOUSLY?), gives tracks an extra boost by injecting flanger effects and warm, rubbery bass lines. Of all the tracks on this post, these two are by far the most danceable - good for you DJs out there. Enjoy!

Wednesday, 29 October 2008

Yeeeeee Boiiiiii! Just doing some procrastinating, figure I should share some relaxing goodies.

For a start - Tim Sweeney on Saturday was SO GOOD. Oh man. So refreshing! I'm instantly inspired to spend all my time/dollars record hunting again, none of this digital rubbish! One of his staple tunes seems to be The Rose by The Laughing Light of Plenty, and for very good reason. Bigstereo threw this one up a few months ago but it's well worth a delayed post here - a magnificent build with a whole heap of seemingly invisible energy that gives you no choice but to move. A brilliant song and a joy to hear Sweeney unleash it in the flesh! He sent me pretty schoolgirl..

I just finished a mix for GBH.tv (which I think is going to appear on friday's show) which admittedly was very rushed, but it got me looking through some records I got ages ago on the cheap and kind of neglected straight away. One in particular I'd forgotten about was a Brice Lee tune which I only bought in the first place because it had a Yuksek remix. Personally I think the original is way out in front. Really cool bassline groove, an overall really hot funky party feel. Hoping I find some other gems in my mystery pile.

High Life is a rrreally funky French collab between Askine, Begbie and Daze which I really should have blogged a long time ago. Especially love Too High - a really nice loungey number with some nice warm laid back rhythm guitar. A Kind of Feeling is more typical French House with a nice poppy vocal sample and tight slap bass. Not sure if they're still doing anything together, but fingers are crossed.

Still not going to stop yapping on about Us Two Music and Outcross Records. Seriously, they're the shit. Well Miguel Campbell isn't actually on Us Two, but he and Matt Hughes seem to be pretty tight - from what I can tell - so close enough. Need I say more? This tune is nice easy going soulful burner. Great production, great feel. Etc etc etc. Some new Us Two stuff got sent around today, some Outrunners tunes, go search them out.

The Phantom's Revenge aka the inventor of the 'disco banger' has more more more. Here's one from an upcoming free EP of short-and-sweet songs which, if it's representative of the rest, is going to be a winner. I'm not sure why I say most of this stuff anymore, it's all become quite obvious haha. TPR can't put a foot wrong; his consistency is undeniable. DISCO BANGERSSS!

A couple of bonus songies just because I feel like it. I recently posted the Still Going remix of Anywhere, but I've since switched over to prefering the Compuphonic and Kolombo mix. It's got more character, a livelier feel, cooler sounds - it's just generally more exciting. Not to take away from the SG mix, but this is just more appealing to me right now. Also, I only recently (thanks to Kiyoshi) discovered that the amazing transformation of Da Funk in Alive 1997 is actually an Armand Van Helden remix. I can't believe I'd never stumbled across it before! Anyway, here it is in case anybody else made the same mistake.

Friday, 24 October 2008

Did a bit of hunting today and found some very snazzy new french/disco/house house. All spectacular bassline stuff, all perfect for windows-rolled-down-smoking-a-cigarette-and-eating-a-burger-at-the-same-time driving. Hyphenating stuff is lots of funskis!

OHKAY, so it's been established before that Matt Hughes (of the magnif' Us Two Music and Outcross labels) is a bit of an underground king of this kind of stuff. He's unleashed a new release called the Honeymoon EP, and I can't recommend enough that you snap this bad boy up. So fantastically cruisy, so smooth, so intensely sexual. Scope out the first track and a killer remix of his which explores the outer atmosphere a little more. Swishhhhhhh

Next are a couple of tracks from a label I just discovered - Beggin' Disco - but perhaps too late? Or too something.. From what I can tell, it put out a couple of releases and that was that. Their MySpace has 60-odd friends and shows no signs of activity. Shame really, because this stuff is quite nice. The Foursome track I swear I've heard somewhere before but can't remember where. Anyway, it's big driving funky party shit. The Hugo Borealis & Ruba tune is more laid back but just as solid and groovy. If anybody knows what the deal is with this mysterious label, please holler.

Livyo is a cheeky French fella who's easily as quality as the rest of the French House market. Really fucking solid stuff, great production and serious party vibe. I'm starting to repeat myself but there's not much else I can do really... This stuff is all just great. Great combo of spaceyness in the synths and super strong nailing to the floor with some nice tight beats.

Franchising (or E-The-Hot presents Franchising as appears to be more correct) are/is some people/a person from Italy who I won't bother speculating any more about. All I know is they're connected with White Weed Records which is enough to give them/him/her/it some pretty fair cred. Their 'The Party' EP is a very nice collection of, as the title suggests, cool party music. Probably the heaviest of this selection, but not by more than a couple of fingers worth. My fave is probos The Chicks which is back in the corner a bit more and would be perfect for seducing girlies in suave dimly lit rooms with martinis and saturday suits. The Cagedbaby mix is a stride towards the more bent clubby side of things. Grab this EP too!

Tuesday, 21 October 2008

First order of business - the Phantom's Revenge guest post got vapourised due to a DMCA violation. Good golly! Not sure if it was the Paul Johnson or Sebastien Leger track, but those two are now on my bloggy black list just to be safe.

Not to worry though - in fairness to the other swell artists that were the stars of that post, I'll repost the three other tracks. To give you a summary: the Askine tune is (quoting TPR) "one of the coolest songs I've heard in the last months" - it sounds like a more tempo-relaxed version of TPR's sound; the Mass Repeat one comes with big props also, some very exciting potential here; and the Pierce remix of Alicia Keys was my personal fave, slightly reminiscent of some gorgeous Oizo.

In fact Pierce's stuff sent me pretty overjoyed, and I really have to share some more. Check out these two sensaysh originals - same fantastic funkyelectrodisco taste, same Oizo-esque scent. Not overpowering, just the right balance. This is one man you really need to keep an eye on. There's a good chance that next year you'll be telling a bunch of scenester kids wearing Pierce t-shirts and some kind of post-shutter shades ironic eyewear what times were like when you knew him as an up-and-coming producer. Snap!

Another fine producer recommended to me ages ago by TPR is Kansk, a French fellow busting out his own version of the funkyelectrodisco flavour. I've only got two mp3s to share, and one is a remix of Phantom - and I just don't think i could manage to post Justice in any form anymore :] - so here it is. This songy is the darkest of the lot, but you must have a gander at the variety shown on his MySpace. Some loungey, some tropo, some strutty funky. All top notch.

Next up, O My Brothers (soz, just finished reading A Clockwork Orange), a stunning Italian disco house producer who goes by the name standTkind (and more recently, Lebatman.) I'd say in the same kind of league as TPR, with some bits of discobangingness here and there, a bit of funk, etc etc. I can't get enough! Really fresh stuff. I don't want to narrow it down to even three songs, but whatever - here you gho.

I'd just like to take a moment to apologise to everybody who's been sending me emails - I'm so so so far behind and scarcely have time to reply to anything. Rest assured that, however slowly, I am listening and enjoying!

On a side note: I really used to hate Courier New. Now I'm starting to think it might be the new Courier... It's got a new level of ugliness which may well be perfect in these times where irony and fashion are inseparable concepts. Should I make the switch? Hum ho hum...

Revolte have been around for awhile, being signed to the Kitsuné label not too long ago. The crash test dummy duo make great house with the slightest electro tinge. Still, you can feel the disco vibes - and that's a must, isn't it?

I'll admit that most Benny Benassi remixes sound the same, but this one is special. Alizée, a very popular singer in France, makes this track explode when the vocals finally hit. I'm not 20 years old, either.

Monday, 13 October 2008

That's right loyal readers, in order to boost the gimmicky appeal of this 'ere blog, we're going to hold our very first competition! Skipping right to the business end of things, here is what you have to do: you may choose between Rikki and Otto's Journey - two sensational Mylo tracks - and typesing the tune for me. Which is literally what it sounds like. Points will be awarded for those who can accurately do it (ie. if it actually conveys the song, in which case you are brilliant) and, falling short of that, for anyone who can entertain me. Here are the tracks:

Email your entries to discodelicious@gmail.com - the compy closes on the 20th of October, so quick sticks. I'll post anywhere in the world so don't be shy. Give me some creativity! I'll contact the winner to arrange some kind of award ceremony or something.

In other news, Mr. Oizo's latest offering, Lambs Anger (due out November 17th) is nothing short of spectacular and I can't keep myself from posting a taste. I'm going to go all the way and say it's my number 1 electronic album for 2008, hands down. Serrrriously, this is one album you NEED to buy. Go get a tent and start camping outside your local record store so you can be the first one to get your hands on one of those bad boys. These are a couple of the more upbeat tracks on the album, and certainly two of my favourites. GET EXCITED!

I guess since I've just posted Otto's Journey for the 15th time, or something, I'd better put up the final version in 320 of Otto's Golden Journey. A lot of people have been asking me for it, so I guess i don't feel too bad.

Tuesday, 7 October 2008

England's Bobby Blanco & Miki Moto released a handful of disco house tracks between 2003 and 2005, many of which didn't get the attention they deserve. With heavy disco influences, rubbery bass lines, and funky attitude, you'd swear these swanky tracks were French.

In 2002 and 2003, Germany's Syke 'n' Sugarstarr released couple of fun, stylish house tracks. This is the type of music played at fashion show after parties - on a rooftop pool with models that don't smile & alcohol you can't afford.

The only track ever released from a group of 4 Italian mega producers, Kreo' really got it right with this one. A simple, but addictive flanger-friendly melody coupled with whispery vocals make this track an essential.

Sunday, 5 October 2008

Just heard the very sad news that house king Frankie Knuckles is recovering after having his leg amputated due to diabetes. Here's hoping he quickly returns to good health, and that he'll continue his DJing and producing. I've been listening to his dub (not the remix) of Blind a lot lately and loving the extra-laid back vibe and cruisiness of it. That word apparently doesn't exist but that's how I'm labelling this track. Superb producing! Get well soon Frankie!

In Flagranti's first release on Kitsune has been killing it. Of course. And naturally it's attracted a stack of big names to lay their remixing powah upon it with fab results. Thanks to Climaxxx Blog and Penned Madness for Arveene & Misk's amazing rendition. The bass sound alone is gold medal worthy. Holy Ghost's cover is pretty much what you'd expect from the DFA juggernaut: fucking hot. Both of these are big winners!

This stuff is a bit heavier than I'd usually post, but Northie has some serious talent at the ripe (and tender (and supple)) young age of 19 so I think it's well worth sharing. If you're in Sydney go scout him out and hear one of his monster sets. These are all priiime tracks to play out at 3am! Expect to hear more of Northie in times coming.

Divine Mother Zebrass is a high ranking contender for coolest MySpace background. Cool gimmicky graphics that excite me way too much aside, DMZ is pumping out some slick slick slick muzak. I'll get around to posting more soon - I'm really thirsty but I want to finish this post before I go get a drink, so it's a bit half assed. Just listen to this tune, it's excellent.

And for some good measure in the house department, check out this fantastic remix by Galactik Knights - mentioned a couple of posts ago. Sensational bassline, omigod! Like I've already said, you must go check them out. I'll start making threats otherwise.